PCI versus AGP video card

[Michael Mauzey]

I have a 64 MG NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI card.
I want a 128 MG card ... most of the ones that i am interested in are
AGP cards. I have a Dell 2.4 Gig CPU with 512 MG RAM, Windows XP
Home, 120 Gig Harddrive. Can I just take out the NVIDIA PCI card and
replace it with an AGP card and install the drivers for the AGP card?
Thanks ... Michael Mauzey

 

[E McCann]

Only if you have a *real* AGP slot in your machine. Open it up and look.
They're (about) the same size, but the AGP slot is (normally) the top one
and (normally) roughly an inch further toward the center of the mainboard -
a PCI card will not fit, period.

Follow this link:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/lits/network/ntresnet/ethernet.htm

and you'll see a picture of a mainboard with ISA, PCI, and AGP slots, all
clearly marked. (Highly doubtful you have ISA slots.) .

 

[Yves Leclerc]

ISA, PCI and AGP are normally color coded. Black is ISA(EISA), PCI is white
(or cream) and AGP is normall brown.

 

[E McCann]

Normally, but not always. Can't think of another color I've seen PCI in, but
I've seen black and brown AGP slots - and with the "Lan Party" and other odd
colored boards (to go with side case windows and cheap-hotel lighting,) who
knows what color they could be...

 

[Yves Leclerc]

But the original poster (OP) stated they have a Dell. Should be "standard"
colors???

 

[JustMee]

I don't know about standard.. The AGP slot on a motherboard of a
machine I have open (a SOYO) is "coffee with cream" dark tan....

I have also seen black AGP slots... Who knows what other strange
colours there are out there?

JM

 

[E McCann]

Perhaps - or just standard across Dell's line. *shrug* I'd almost put money
down, between the "it's a dell" and "I have a PCI video card" that if they
have "AGP" video, it's onboard, so they'll be stuck with a PCI solution.

Yet another reason I "roll my own" systems...